The Compound

by S.A. Bodeen

Book Overview

S.A. Bodeen's The Compound is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they've become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312578601
• ISBN13: 9780312578602
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Square Fish
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 12 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 7 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Just buy the book already

When I’m really interested in a book I can’t put it down and I end up reading it in a day. I did that with this book. It has good character development, Its centered on family. Definitely some shocking moments. You’ll love it. You’ll like it so much you’ll wanna read the sequel. Just buy the book already.

Eerie Secrets

I absolutely was amazed by this book. Being a librarian that's obsessed with books, I couldn't help picking this book up in the store. The cover alone got me hooked. It was well paced and packed with amazing things. The story revolving around Eli. His family is dysfunctional, living in a compound under the ground after the world went kaboom. When the story starts out he's pretty self absorbed, but as the plot starts to thicken he isn't so absorbed and starts to wonder about a few things that are going on. One of which is their food supply is starting to run low. His mother is pregnant, his sister isn't as much of a pain as he thinks, and his father is a complete... nutcase?! This story was so intriguing that I found myself reading till all hours of the night. I loved it! It was an exceptional story about possibilities that sometimes we ignore. I hope to add this to our library collection. I can't wait till her next book comes out... The Gardener...

Quick read, amazing book.

The Compound is a short book by my standards, only 272 pages, but it packs a whole lot of punch. I love post apocalyptic fiction, stories of survival, for some reason they give me hope that I myself could endure such an event. This is a story of a family, nine year old Eli , his two sisters and his parents barely make it into the familys compound before a nuclear war decimates the earth. Elis twin brother and grandmother are left outside due to circumstances and the severing of those ties is devestating. Elis father has thought of everything, the compound is fully stocked, and has all the comforts of home, but things go wrong one after the other and the family has to take drastic measures to ensure their survival (one of which is just shocking!) Soon Eli's hunches about their situation are confirmed and the book quickly shifts into overdrive. This is young adult fiction that is inspired by the twilight zone, and even has some horror movie undertones, its a fast read that is well thought out and intriguing even to adult readers.

There's a secret relation here and there...

I really enjoyed this book! This is a wonderful novel! It's more to the teens though. It's all about a family who has lived in a compound for years. The main character, a boy of 16 (if I remember correctly) doesn't like much contact with his family. He doesn't like getting touched my anyone especially the 'supplements'. He is always thinking about his twin brother. It really is sweet. The plot wraps up nicely and makes room for a sequel. It is a good sci-fi read.

A good read...

My middle school-aged son just came home with this book today. I just finished it. It is quick reading....I really enjoyed the plot twists and the weird angles that really started to show themselves in the last third of the book. I came on Amazom.com to see if there was a second book yet....My son is going to love it as much as me...especially since the main character is a 15 year old boy.

Character-driven Apocalyptic Suspense

This is a cool, eerie story for teens that parents (like me) can't help but pick up, glance through - and then have to finish. My 7th grade son and 8th grade daughter are avid readers, including many classics and best-sellers, and they each got pretty into it. Well-written, with original and multi-faceted characters - it comes alive in your mind and carries you along like a good movie. Intense action, but with jolts of equally palpable tenderness (raw and real, not sappy). The ultimate sign of a winner: My son was restless after finishing it...sad/crabby that he was done with The Compound and not in the mood for reading anything else.